15th-Century Italian Men's Clothing Explained

Fifteenth-century Italian menswear is built up in layers, and each layer has its own job. Once you understand the order, it becomes much easier to put together an accurate outfit and avoid the most common mistakes.

1. The Shirt

The bottom layer is the linen shirt. It is the layer against the skin, the one washed most often, and the one that protected the more expensive outer garments from sweat. Its cut is simple, with underarm gussets. It often shows at the neck and sleeves of a short farsetto. Our shirt is made with French seams, and its pattern draws on the work of Federico Marangoni and Katrin Kania, among others.

2. The Farsetto

Over the shirt goes the farsetto, the fitted, lined doublet. It creates the characteristic slim-waisted silhouette of the period, and the hose are tied to it.

3. The Hose and Points

Hose are tight, stocking-like legwear. They were cut from wool on the bias so that they follow the leg with some stretch, and they were tied to the lower edge of the farsetto with points. Our wool hose follow Piero della Francesca's battle scene of around 1460. Mi-parti hose, divided into two or more colours, often showed the colours of a family or community. We also make these in a cotton and elastane blend, because it is more comfortable and more durable.

4. Outer Garments: Giornea and Coat

Many men wore an outer garment over the farsetto. The giornea is the most characteristic piece of the period: a sleeveless overgarment, open or decorated at the sides, made of wool, silk, velvet or brocade. In colder weather a longer coat or cloak was worn. Our coat with a fringed hem has slashed sleeves, practical in both warm and cold weather.

5. Headwear

Going bareheaded was the exception. The linen coif was still common early in the 15th century, but it appears less and less often in the second half. The chaperon, a hood worn wrapped like a turban, is the typical headwear of the period.

Common Mistakes

Hose held up with a belt. In this period hose were tied to the farsetto, not held up by a belt.
A farsetto that is too long. In the second half of the century the farsetto was short, often reaching only to the waist.
Modern fabrics. The visible layers should be wool, linen or silk.